At this year's Liver Meeting, the 69th annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, investigators highlighted progress in understanding the incidence, mechanisms, diagnostic approaches, and outcomes of two common liver disorders of children and adolescents—fatty liver and biliary atresia. This article highlights some of the new concepts and approaches that emerged from the relevant presentations.
Screening Strategies for Fatty Liver
There are two suggested strategies to screen for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in obese and overweight children with risk factors, which come from separate North American and European medical societies. Statements from the North American Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition [NASPGHAN][1] and the American Academy of Pediatrics[2] recommend screening for NAFLD using serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, whereas the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition [ESPGHAN][3] and the European Association for the Study of the Liver[4] recommend using both ALT levels and abdominal ultrasound.
Ezaizi and colleagues[5] assessed the prevalence of NAFLD in 344 consecutive overweight and obese children seen at a multidisciplinary weight management program using these two disparate screening strategies. Each child underwent a liver ultrasound and had an ALT level measured at the time of their first visit.
NAFLD was present on ultrasound in 53%.
Medscape Gastroenterology © 2018 WebMD, LLC
Any views expressed above are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of WebMD or Medscape.
Cite this: New Studies on Diagnosing and Managing Pediatric Liver Diseases - Medscape - Dec 21, 2018.
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COMMENTARY
New Studies on Diagnosing and Managing Pediatric Liver Diseases
William F. Balistreri, MD
DisclosuresDecember 21, 2018
At this year's Liver Meeting, the 69th annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, investigators highlighted progress in understanding the incidence, mechanisms, diagnostic approaches, and outcomes of two common liver disorders of children and adolescents—fatty liver and biliary atresia. This article highlights some of the new concepts and approaches that emerged from the relevant presentations.
Screening Strategies for Fatty Liver
There are two suggested strategies to screen for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in obese and overweight children with risk factors, which come from separate North American and European medical societies. Statements from the North American Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition [NASPGHAN][1] and the American Academy of Pediatrics[2] recommend screening for NAFLD using serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, whereas the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition [ESPGHAN][3] and the European Association for the Study of the Liver[4] recommend using both ALT levels and abdominal ultrasound.
Ezaizi and colleagues[5] assessed the prevalence of NAFLD in 344 consecutive overweight and obese children seen at a multidisciplinary weight management program using these two disparate screening strategies. Each child underwent a liver ultrasound and had an ALT level measured at the time of their first visit.
NAFLD was present on ultrasound in 53%.
Medscape Gastroenterology © 2018 WebMD, LLC
Any views expressed above are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of WebMD or Medscape.
Cite this: New Studies on Diagnosing and Managing Pediatric Liver Diseases - Medscape - Dec 21, 2018.
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Authors and Disclosures
Authors and Disclosures
Author
William F. Balistreri, MD
Department of Hepatology & Nutrition, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
Disclosure: William F. Balistreri, MD, has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.